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The Friends of the Ocee Library is a non-profit group whose purpose is to promote general knowledge of library services and to provide financial assistance for special library needs and events.

If you have specific questions about Ocee Library, phone the library at 770-360-8897 or visit http://www.afpls.org/

Saturday, September 30, 2017

Banned Books Week talking points

Yes, books are still banned. Five of the 10 titles on the Top Ten list were removed from the location where the challenge took place. On average, OIF finds that 10% of challenges result in the removal of the book.

The First Amendment guarantees all of us the freedom to read. The Library Bill of Rights, a foundational document of the library profession, states libraries should challenge censorship and present all points of view, for the enlightenment of all people.

For the first time in Top Ten history, a book was challenged solely because of its author. Bill Cosby’s Little Bill series was challenged because of sexual allegations against the author.

Challenges continue to target LGBT material, and there is a rise in “sexually explicit” as a challenge category. The rise in sexually explicit challenges suggests that parents are transitioning from “helicopter parents” to “Velcro parents.”

The Office for Intellectual Freedom compiles the Top Ten list by documenting public challenges (challenges that are reported in the media), as well as censorship reports submitted through the office’s reporting form, in our database.